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mageline
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Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 376
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 Posted: 10/10/05 - 09:49 Post subject: Here's some really Off-Topic topic... :-)
As cross-posted from the CR MS forum:
As some of you are aware of my continuing struggle to rid my left foot of plantar faciitis, I've not been able to run much less train for anything. It's very sad that I had to give up tri training all year long.I've never had a chance to break in my new long sleeved wetsuit. Gained 20 lbs, lost 5-7 lbs so far (depending when I weigh myself, before or after breakfast , biked probably 3-4x this year, ran off and on 20 mins to 30 mins when the foot didn't hurt, only to quit again the next 2 weeks, no swim since May.
Anyway, the foot is getting better (read: mildly painful in the morning only). I started running 2-3x a week the last 4 weeks or so. So I took up my old training partner's challenge and did a duathlon with her yesterday (sunday).
The event was a 1.5 mi run, 15 mi bike, and a 5k run called Cape Henlopen dua/tri. I didn't do the tri because I don't fully trust my ocean swim skills. After seeing what the ocean looked like that morning, I was relieved to be doing a dua instead.
My finish time is truly irrelevant since I haven't done a whole lot of training for this event. But I wouldn't say I didn't try to race it. I did. I've never worked so hard and got very little to show for. Nonetheless I was 3rd out of 3 in my age group, and snagged a beautiful trophy with a lighthouse on it! It looks so cool as it sits on my desk. It sure made me smile as I sat to check my email morning.
What is so wonderful about this race is that I felt that I belonged to this gathering. I missed being in race events all year long. Just being there, exchanging previous race exploits with the other participants, sharing concerns with the weather, lending safety pins for bibs, or what have you, admiring each other's bikes, etc, all those thngs made me feel so at home. To top it off, I get to meet one of my favorite MS members, melonella. I met his beautiful family, post race, and had a couple of snapshots taken for our 2006 calendar.
My dua was uneventful. the weather was nice and cool (55-60 deg?), a bit drizzly, at first, but remained dry by race start. The run course involved some short steep hills that takes you to a scenic overlook with a view of the ocean, then goes down and back to T1. The bike course is nice and flat all the way (draw bridge incline was too short to call it a hill), had headwinds for most of it, the run course goes back to the same look-out and winds through the beautiful Cape Henlopen State Park.
The race organizers were amazing. They were very organized indeed, there lots of volunteers, loud music to pump you up blared from the speakers, spectators offering encouragement and lots of smiles everywhere. I love the Piranha-Sports people. They seem to give it their all at every race event they do (I've done a few of them the last 3 years). I sure hope they never tire of doing these races. Every time I think about the race organizers in MD/PA area (the one that use to hold the Spuds Tri in Maryland, forget their name at the moment) that folded last year, I get a tinge of sadness, yet amazed that they did what they did for so long. I will never take for granted what these people do. Not all of it was for profit, I can tell you that!
Stu (melonella), it was an honor to meet you and your family. Your daughter is the sweetest thing. I hope to see you guys again in the 2006 races.
Race result:
1.5 mi run 13:16, pace: 8:51, Rank 76
T1 2:00
Bike 52:24, pace 17.5 mph, Rank 77
T2 1:16
5k run 31:29, pace 10:10, Rank 82
Final time 1:40:24
Rank 3/3 F45-49 AG
Rank 20/34 OA female
Rank 79/97
Oh I almost forgot. A volunteer at the body marking area passed out and had to be taken by the ambulance about 30 mins prior to race start. I don't know what was wrong with him. I hope he's ok.
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